Tanya Sousa's Blog - Posts Tagged "tanya-sousa"
Pre-reviews: The Starling God
I always have a number of people read through my manuscripts before I deem them "finished" (which is a laugh, because any author knows it feels like a book is never EVER truly finished even when it goes to print!).
I respectfully ask different people to do this for a wide variety of reasons. When I had a fairly solid draft of my upcoming novel, "The Starling God", I had a bird expert read through for accuracy of bird information, and a woman who is a shaman to offer insight on the rather Universal idea of connectedness the book describes. I also wanted someone to read the book who was a more science-oriented type -- one who wasn't already a fantasy reader. Would such a person be able to find the story compelling?
To my surprise, that person wrote a review (preview?) of the book that expressed what I was trying to get across in the story so well, I knew I wanted to post it in the blog. So without further adieu, here it is. Thank you Darryl Duffe for the time you took with this -- and thank you to the other wonderful readers who gave me such excellent feedback.
T.
Pre-Review:
"The Starling God", by Tanya Sousa, begins with an urgent dramatic scene in which the main character, a lone surviving starling nestling is rescued from repairmen fixing a hole in the eaves of a building and cast the nestlings out of the nest considering the species a nuisance. The young bird is saved and nurtured by a kind human female who has gained the status of a benevolent ' god' among the local 'Bird kind' as a result of providing food and habitat around her house. This pastoral area she's provided is deemed as 'The Sacred Space' by several species of birds who regularly gather around this lovely garden landscaped with grass, flowers, trees, bushes and a feeder. Humans in the story are all generally considered 'gods' by birds because of our attempts to control the environment in nearly every way. The lone surviving starling nestling is labeled a Starling God of bird prophecy when he is released as a fledgling and refers to his human rescuer as ‘Mother’.
As the author progresses with the story, she delicately establishes an anthropomorphic world mainly for the purpose of storytelling, which allows the reader to experience the world from an avian perspective. This alternate yet somewhat familiar, universe, creates a framework for the story that's at once natural and human-modified to greater and lesser degrees. The birds who don't understand human technology have different more bird-centric terms for human features, human clothing and human artifacts.
The story takes place over several months most involving several species of birds and their relationships to other species, predators, the 4 seasons, forests, fields, geographic features and human activities and human degradation of the earth's natural environment. The events make the reader consider what starlings and humans have in common, both as non-native 'invasive' species.
Once you become immersed in the avian vantage point, Ms. Sousa creates an adventurous tale where there is travel, danger and encounters with multiple sub-cultures (developed in separate geographic populations) of birds based on their resource base and adaptations to their local environment. Crucial environmental and philosophical issues (including aspects of sustainability and biodiversity) are played out in the plot.
The challenges and plot twists take the reader through many experiences, from joyful to tragic, through the eyes of other species – feathered and sometimes even furred. The surprising tale is woven with deceit, treachery, some violence, a lot of curiosity, honest discussion and debate, romantic partnership, individual friendships, family relationships and social structures.The differing roles are sometimes assigned by species, like for instance, red wing blackbirds are "Watchers"(sentries providing early warning to birds in the "Sacred Space" for predators and any signs of danger) "Seekers" are like curious students. "Tellers" are usually older birds (sometimes doves) that pass down essential bird knowledge like the role of professors."Cleaners" are crows and vultures that remove dead carcasses. There are "Praisers" sometimes purple finches who kick off the mornings and close the evenings with songs of praise. and various other roles that have their own bird chosen names instead of using the terminology of everyday American English. There are power couples, female power groupies, The plot includes environmental degradation, human on human cruelty and sometimes even the milk of human kindness.
The purpose of the main character's quest is for meaning and understanding. The journey takes the young starling (and the reader) into a new, constantly changing mature realization that neither people nor any particular species are 'gods' but rather that all life on this planet, including human, has an inter-species connectedness. The story leads the ‘Starling God’ to the conclusion that each species is adapted with its own valid talents and abilities and there is folly and injustice in not realizing the interconnectedness and importance of all life forms sharing the world. He get's a lot of this new perspective from all of his observations and is corroborated by his telepathic communication with a large cetacean. Darryl Duffe
I respectfully ask different people to do this for a wide variety of reasons. When I had a fairly solid draft of my upcoming novel, "The Starling God", I had a bird expert read through for accuracy of bird information, and a woman who is a shaman to offer insight on the rather Universal idea of connectedness the book describes. I also wanted someone to read the book who was a more science-oriented type -- one who wasn't already a fantasy reader. Would such a person be able to find the story compelling?
To my surprise, that person wrote a review (preview?) of the book that expressed what I was trying to get across in the story so well, I knew I wanted to post it in the blog. So without further adieu, here it is. Thank you Darryl Duffe for the time you took with this -- and thank you to the other wonderful readers who gave me such excellent feedback.
T.
Pre-Review:
"The Starling God", by Tanya Sousa, begins with an urgent dramatic scene in which the main character, a lone surviving starling nestling is rescued from repairmen fixing a hole in the eaves of a building and cast the nestlings out of the nest considering the species a nuisance. The young bird is saved and nurtured by a kind human female who has gained the status of a benevolent ' god' among the local 'Bird kind' as a result of providing food and habitat around her house. This pastoral area she's provided is deemed as 'The Sacred Space' by several species of birds who regularly gather around this lovely garden landscaped with grass, flowers, trees, bushes and a feeder. Humans in the story are all generally considered 'gods' by birds because of our attempts to control the environment in nearly every way. The lone surviving starling nestling is labeled a Starling God of bird prophecy when he is released as a fledgling and refers to his human rescuer as ‘Mother’.
As the author progresses with the story, she delicately establishes an anthropomorphic world mainly for the purpose of storytelling, which allows the reader to experience the world from an avian perspective. This alternate yet somewhat familiar, universe, creates a framework for the story that's at once natural and human-modified to greater and lesser degrees. The birds who don't understand human technology have different more bird-centric terms for human features, human clothing and human artifacts.
The story takes place over several months most involving several species of birds and their relationships to other species, predators, the 4 seasons, forests, fields, geographic features and human activities and human degradation of the earth's natural environment. The events make the reader consider what starlings and humans have in common, both as non-native 'invasive' species.
Once you become immersed in the avian vantage point, Ms. Sousa creates an adventurous tale where there is travel, danger and encounters with multiple sub-cultures (developed in separate geographic populations) of birds based on their resource base and adaptations to their local environment. Crucial environmental and philosophical issues (including aspects of sustainability and biodiversity) are played out in the plot.
The challenges and plot twists take the reader through many experiences, from joyful to tragic, through the eyes of other species – feathered and sometimes even furred. The surprising tale is woven with deceit, treachery, some violence, a lot of curiosity, honest discussion and debate, romantic partnership, individual friendships, family relationships and social structures.The differing roles are sometimes assigned by species, like for instance, red wing blackbirds are "Watchers"(sentries providing early warning to birds in the "Sacred Space" for predators and any signs of danger) "Seekers" are like curious students. "Tellers" are usually older birds (sometimes doves) that pass down essential bird knowledge like the role of professors."Cleaners" are crows and vultures that remove dead carcasses. There are "Praisers" sometimes purple finches who kick off the mornings and close the evenings with songs of praise. and various other roles that have their own bird chosen names instead of using the terminology of everyday American English. There are power couples, female power groupies, The plot includes environmental degradation, human on human cruelty and sometimes even the milk of human kindness.
The purpose of the main character's quest is for meaning and understanding. The journey takes the young starling (and the reader) into a new, constantly changing mature realization that neither people nor any particular species are 'gods' but rather that all life on this planet, including human, has an inter-species connectedness. The story leads the ‘Starling God’ to the conclusion that each species is adapted with its own valid talents and abilities and there is folly and injustice in not realizing the interconnectedness and importance of all life forms sharing the world. He get's a lot of this new perspective from all of his observations and is corroborated by his telepathic communication with a large cetacean. Darryl Duffe
Serendipity and Publishers
I know we've all been brainwashed to seek publication in the "normal" ways -- seek out publishers who fit your subject, genre and style, carefully read the submission guidelines, then do your best to send what they want with hyper-vigilance to crossing your i's and dotting your t's. HA! Did I catch you there? Of course I meant dotting your i's and crossing your t's. However, the entire process is just so formal and nerve-wracking it can throw anyone off.
I've gone through this process of submitting many times over the almost thirty years I've published, and I am happy to report that I've had reasonable success with magazines and anthologies but the books -- oh the books! It's been a different process there, and that's what I want to tell people:
Writers, look outside the box.
I'm not speaking of usual self-publishing here. I'm talking about paying attention to serendipity. I'm talking about talking your literary project up to people who might be passionate about things you are. I'm talking about not being afraid to walk the walk a little differently.
I have never landed a publisher traditionally.
For instance, my first nonfiction title was called "Can Dogs Read? Starting and Implementing a Literacy Program". I wrote it because I had a passion for working with my dog as a reading dog in schools and I wanted to provide a comprehensive "how-to" that was cheaper than any materials I'd found. I also thought it would be lovely to donate this book to any library in Vermont that wanted it.
I knew a lovely woman who worked with therapy animals and called her to see if she knew about any grant funding that I might apply for to fund the project. She said, "I have money. What is it you want to do?" She had published something before under her business, and after reading my manuscript and observing my own reading dog program, she took it on under her Cairn Terrier Publishing label. We donated almost one thousand copies to libraries and now they are selling.
My latest project was a novel -- environmental fiction titled "The Starling God". It was a bit different, and I knew it would be hard to place, but as I was talking with an acquaintance, I learned he was branching his own business into environmental publishing. Forestry Press is brand new, and this businessman's original goal was to publish books about forestry. As we shared what we'd each been working on lately, I told him about my own book. He mused, "Why not have an environmental fiction section of Forestry Press?" Shortly after I landed a publishing deal.
Don't just seek the obvious sources, folks. Keep your eyes wide open for other connections that may work. Don't be afraid to suggest a connection between your manuscript and your goals and the goals of another person or company. You never know where it might be the perfect match.
I've gone through this process of submitting many times over the almost thirty years I've published, and I am happy to report that I've had reasonable success with magazines and anthologies but the books -- oh the books! It's been a different process there, and that's what I want to tell people:
Writers, look outside the box.
I'm not speaking of usual self-publishing here. I'm talking about paying attention to serendipity. I'm talking about talking your literary project up to people who might be passionate about things you are. I'm talking about not being afraid to walk the walk a little differently.
I have never landed a publisher traditionally.
For instance, my first nonfiction title was called "Can Dogs Read? Starting and Implementing a Literacy Program". I wrote it because I had a passion for working with my dog as a reading dog in schools and I wanted to provide a comprehensive "how-to" that was cheaper than any materials I'd found. I also thought it would be lovely to donate this book to any library in Vermont that wanted it.
I knew a lovely woman who worked with therapy animals and called her to see if she knew about any grant funding that I might apply for to fund the project. She said, "I have money. What is it you want to do?" She had published something before under her business, and after reading my manuscript and observing my own reading dog program, she took it on under her Cairn Terrier Publishing label. We donated almost one thousand copies to libraries and now they are selling.
My latest project was a novel -- environmental fiction titled "The Starling God". It was a bit different, and I knew it would be hard to place, but as I was talking with an acquaintance, I learned he was branching his own business into environmental publishing. Forestry Press is brand new, and this businessman's original goal was to publish books about forestry. As we shared what we'd each been working on lately, I told him about my own book. He mused, "Why not have an environmental fiction section of Forestry Press?" Shortly after I landed a publishing deal.
Don't just seek the obvious sources, folks. Keep your eyes wide open for other connections that may work. Don't be afraid to suggest a connection between your manuscript and your goals and the goals of another person or company. You never know where it might be the perfect match.
KickStarter Project Request!
I've done it. I've launched a KickStarter project plea so I may create a movie-grade book trailer for my novel, "The Starling God". I was so nervous about pressing that "Launch your Project" button -- what if I neglected some detail that would spoil my chances? This book and the messages it sends are so important to me.
Found a Publisher. Working toward that "in print" deadline. Now I need a trailer that will make people take notice.
If you want to help, here's the link to visit: I still haven't figured out how to add things to this blog very well, so hopefully it works. LOL
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/9..."
Found a Publisher. Working toward that "in print" deadline. Now I need a trailer that will make people take notice.
If you want to help, here's the link to visit: I still haven't figured out how to add things to this blog very well, so hopefully it works. LOL
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/9..."
Book Trailer is a "Go"!!!!
The funding from the Kickstarter campaign came through and work on the book trailer for my novel "The Starling God" has begun.
I always step off cliffs with faith that something will be there to step on even if it doesn't SEEM to show yet, so I already began work recording the bird (and whale) character voice-overs with John and Janet Heartson of Barnet, Vermont in John's recording studio before the funding was secured. Here's what I said about the recording experience on the Kickstarter update:
"Yesterday I worked with John and Janet Heartson of Barnet, Vermont, to create the character voice-overs for the book trailer. I can't describe how exciting this process was for me. I have lived intimately with these characters for more than five years now. I see them and hear them in my mind. I've written their thoughts and actions until they seemed to write themselves.
And then I wrote the script for the trailer.
Not every character could be represented there, but a number of key birds are -- and one very wise and joyful whale.
The process of sitting at the table over tea with the script -- the three of us hashing out what kind of beings each is and how they might sound, and then hearing John and Janet try different voices and tones until it was just right -- was nothing short of magical. Then when we were ready, we moved to the studio and I watched the husband and wife breathe life into the characters who had until now only existed in my head and on a flat piece of paper. They had VOICES so true to what I imagined!
I had shivers listening to it and was almost brought to tears at the end when I heard the whale song blend into understandable language as that wondrous whale's voice rang out for the first time. I wish I could bottle what I felt and give a sample to each one of you!"
I always step off cliffs with faith that something will be there to step on even if it doesn't SEEM to show yet, so I already began work recording the bird (and whale) character voice-overs with John and Janet Heartson of Barnet, Vermont in John's recording studio before the funding was secured. Here's what I said about the recording experience on the Kickstarter update:
"Yesterday I worked with John and Janet Heartson of Barnet, Vermont, to create the character voice-overs for the book trailer. I can't describe how exciting this process was for me. I have lived intimately with these characters for more than five years now. I see them and hear them in my mind. I've written their thoughts and actions until they seemed to write themselves.
And then I wrote the script for the trailer.
Not every character could be represented there, but a number of key birds are -- and one very wise and joyful whale.
The process of sitting at the table over tea with the script -- the three of us hashing out what kind of beings each is and how they might sound, and then hearing John and Janet try different voices and tones until it was just right -- was nothing short of magical. Then when we were ready, we moved to the studio and I watched the husband and wife breathe life into the characters who had until now only existed in my head and on a flat piece of paper. They had VOICES so true to what I imagined!
I had shivers listening to it and was almost brought to tears at the end when I heard the whale song blend into understandable language as that wondrous whale's voice rang out for the first time. I wish I could bottle what I felt and give a sample to each one of you!"
Like a New Baby!
Having a new book come out is very much like giving birth to a baby. You've spent so much time growing that creation - and then it's finally there in a real, tangible way! This is not a novel (pardon the pun) idea, of course, but it's so very true...
...And it applies so much to me right now in a way I didn't expect.
My existing children's picture book, "Life is a Bowl of Cherry Pits", has been a best seller for Radiant Hen Publishing. When the paperback copies sold out recently, the decision was made to turn the book into something called a "motion storybook" and have it available on DVD. This meant the story was professionally narrated (including character voices), and music and sound effects were added (all done by Tod Pronto of Pronto ProductionZ and his team). The fun and bright illustrations by Katie Flindall were brought to life by the graphic arts magic of Jacob L. Grant - meaning some of the illustration "parts" move as the story progresses like a short movie!
It's nothing short of magical to watch my book come alive in this entirely new way. So please celebrate with me and help me welcome my new baby! Yay!!!
Radiant Hen will put it up on their web site soon, but I have 50 copies that I will sell directly. Want to see a sample? I'm so happy you asked! Let me show you that new bundle of joy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov2X6...
...And it applies so much to me right now in a way I didn't expect.
My existing children's picture book, "Life is a Bowl of Cherry Pits", has been a best seller for Radiant Hen Publishing. When the paperback copies sold out recently, the decision was made to turn the book into something called a "motion storybook" and have it available on DVD. This meant the story was professionally narrated (including character voices), and music and sound effects were added (all done by Tod Pronto of Pronto ProductionZ and his team). The fun and bright illustrations by Katie Flindall were brought to life by the graphic arts magic of Jacob L. Grant - meaning some of the illustration "parts" move as the story progresses like a short movie!
It's nothing short of magical to watch my book come alive in this entirely new way. So please celebrate with me and help me welcome my new baby! Yay!!!
Radiant Hen will put it up on their web site soon, but I have 50 copies that I will sell directly. Want to see a sample? I'm so happy you asked! Let me show you that new bundle of joy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov2X6...
